House of Lords: Excluded Hereditary Peers

Lord Williams of Elvel: asked the Chairman of Committees:
	How the provisions for access to the House by hereditary Peers excluded under the Provisions of the House of Lords Act 1999 will be enforced.

Lord Boston of Faversham: Access to the facilities of the House by excluded hereditary Peers will be enforced by the staff of the House if misuse of the agreed privileges occurs. Junior staff may not know who is an "excluded hereditary Peer"; but when any breach of the agreed provisions is reported to management, appropriate action will be taken immediately. Enforcement of the rules governing access to the facilities of the House by excluded hereditary Peers is ultimately the responsibility of Black Rod.

Sport Action Zones

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the launch of Sport Action Zones by Sport England and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on 17 January: (a) which are the regeneration budgets that have been identified as possible partners to the Sport Action Zones in order to complement Lottery funding; (b) what discussions have been held to identify such partners; and (c) with whom such discussions have been held.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Sport Action Zones are an initiative of Sport England's Lottery Sports Fund Strategy. The first 12 zones were announced on 17 January. Sport England has not at this stage identified any specific regeneration budgets which might be applicable to Sport Action Zones. However, the managers of each zone will seek to identify opportunities locally for sport to be included in regeneration strategies and budgets. The delivery of the Sport Action Zone objectives will require very close co-operation between Sport England and all local interests, including local authorities, sports associations, governing bodies, community groups, TECs and those involved in work on Housing Action Zones and Education Action Zones. Through such co-operation it is hoped to attract additional finance, both public and private, into the area aimed at increasing sporting opportunities and participation.

Investment Clubs: Tax Treatment

Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have to modernise the tax treatment of investment clubs in the light of the growth in the number of such clubs from 350 in 1997 to 5,318 now.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Government are always happy to look at any proposals to modernise the tax system.

Special Educational Needs Training

Lord Baker of Dorking: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much money they are currently making available through the Standards Fund to support the training of staff working with special educational needs children.

Baroness Blackstone: In the current financial year, we are supporting £35 million of local education authority expenditure through the Standards Fund in the area of special educational needs. We expect that about £21 million of that money will be spent on training. We are increasing the supported expenditure under the grant to £55 million in 2000-01, of which we expect that around £26 million will be spent on training.

Small Schools Support Fund: Dorton House

Lord Baker of Dorking: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why the Small Schools Support Fund, announced in October 1999, extends to special schools in the maintained sector but is not available to non-maintained schools like Dorton House in Sevenoaks, Kent, whose quality has been recognised by OFSTED.

Baroness Blackstone: The Small School Support Fund will be delivered through DfEE's Standards Fund. The primary aim of the Standards Fund is to enable the Secretary of State and local education authorities to direct funding on specific educational priorities to raise educational standards in the maintained sector. Although Dorton House, as a non-maintained school, is therefore not directly eligible for support from the Standards Fund, current guidance to local education authorities is clear that eligible expenditure under the Standards Fund may include expenditure reimbursed by an LEA which is incurred by the persons responsible for the maintenance of a special school not maintained by the LEA.

Pensioners Receiving Less Than Full State Pension

Earl Russell: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many pensioners at present receive less than the full state pension because of incomplete contributions; what is the average shortfall per pensioner; and what is the total reduction in the budget for the state pension as a result.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: At 31 March 1999 there were 3.4 million people receiving less than the full state pension because of incomplete contributions. This figure includes married women who are receiving a full rate Category B pension, which is 60 per cent of the basic pension, based on their spouses' contributions. The average weekly shortfall per pensioner is £25.79. These figures are reflected in estimates of benefit expenditure. Notes: 1. All figures are for those pensioners resident in Great Britain only. 2. Figures include women who are receiving a full rate Category B pension either based on their own or their spouses' contributions. These include women who have paid no contributions themselves or a reduced rate contribution under the married woman's option. Figures also include pensioners on other categories of the basic state pension who are receiving less than the full Category A rate. 3. Statistics are derived from a 5 per cent sample of the Pensioners Strategy Computer System as at 31 March 1999. 4. Numbers of pensioners are rounded to the nearest 100,000. 5. Costs are provided by the Government Actuary's Department and are in 1999-2000 prices and benefit rates.

Continuing Care: Revised Eligibility Criteria

Lord Rix: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action is being taken about the revision of continuing care policies in respect of people with learning disabilities following the Appeal Court decision in the case of North East Devon Health Authority ex parte Coughlan.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We have issued interim guidance that health and local authorities, in consultation with each other, should satisfy themselves that their continuing and community care policies and eligibility criteria and other relevant procedures are in line with the Court of Appeal judgment on the Coughlan case and existing guidance, and take further legal advice where necessary. Where authorities revise eligibility criteria following any review, they should consider what action they need to take to reassess service users against the revised criteria [HSC 1999/180: LAC(99) 30]. The guidance applies to all client groups, including people with learning disabilities.

Children Act 1989: Report

Baroness David: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will next report on the Children Act 1989.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My right honourable friends the Secretary of State for Health, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment and the Lord Chancellor have published a report on the Children Act 1989, pursuant to their duties under Section 83 of the Act. Copies are available in the Library and the Printed Paper Office; and have been sent to all local authorities in England and to a wide range of organisations. A copy of this document can also be found at the following website: www.doh.gov.uk/scg/chactrep.htm.

Mersley Farms, IoW: Alleged Breach of Environmental Controls

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Health and Safety Executive is intending to prosecute the owner of Mersley Farm, Isle of Wight for illegal disposal of containers of Cymag, and, if not, why not.

Lord Whitty: The disposal of pesticides is enforced by the Environment Agency. However, as a result of the publicity surrounding HSE's prosecution of the owner of Boswell Farm for a range of breaches of pesticides and health and safety legislation, it came to the attention of HSE that unknown packages had been buried on Mersley Farms, Newchurch, IoW. HSE urgently followed up this information to the point of being able to offer the Environment Agency good sources of intelligence on the locations. The HSE has had no direct involvement in the investigation of the allegations now being carried out by the Environment Agency. A decision on whether or not to prosecute for the alleged contravention of environmental legislation will be taken by the agency in the light of the conclusions of its investigation.

The Community Legal Service

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	To what extent the Community Legal Service will give assistance in advising and representing the alleged victims of unlawful discrimination in relation to proceedings under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and
	To what extent the Community Legal Service gives assistance to law centres and community action groups to enable them to advise and represent the alleged victims of unlawful discrimination in relation to proceedings under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: The Community Legal Service will be launched in April 2000. As part of the Government's legal aid reform programme, I intend to focus resources on priority areas, one of which will be advice on social welfare work, including employment rights. In addition, the Community Legal Service will bring in new providers such as not-for-profit advice agencies and law centres, which have particular expertise in these areas of law. Victims of unlawful discrimination will therefore have access to high-quality advice.
	Publicly funded help will also be available for representation in court proceedings brought specifically under these Acts, subject to the standard tests of the applicant's means and the funding assessment. However, a large proportion of cases are brought in employment tribunals, for which public funding is not available for representation. The Government are currently reviewing the procedures of all tribunals to assess how they comply with our obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights and EU law. Once we have better control of the scheme through the legal aid reforms, it will be possible for us to consider extending representation to tribunals if a need for it is established.

Police Forces: Sharing of Best Practice

Lord Hardy of Wath: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action they are taking to ensure that practices within the most successful police forces are emulated by those which are recognised as least successful.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Government encourage forces to share best practice in a number of ways, although operational decisions are the responsibility of the chief officer of police.
	Through the Crime Reduction Programme, we are funding a variety of projects to evaluate the most effective approaches in different circumstances. The results will be made available to all forces and their crime and disorder partners to help them tackle their own crime problems. Under best value, police authorities are required to compare the way they carry out all their functions with other authorities and outside organisations as part of a continuous process of performance improvement. We have provided £1 million funding for the Beacon Scheme for police forces, which encourages them to develop innovative projects which enhance police performance or efficiency and to disseminate these findings throughout the Police Service. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary undertakes a range of thematic inspections on how best to address specific policing issues.

Police Complaints Authority

Baroness Serota: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What further appointments they have made to the Police Complaints Authority.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: My right honourable friend the Home Secretary is pleased to announce that Her Majesty the Queen has approved the appointment of Sir Alistair Graham as Chair of the Police Complaints Authority and that he has appointed Mrs Wendy Towers as a Member of the Authority.
	Sir Alistair previously served as Chairman of the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland since 1997. He will take up his post on 1 April 2000 and the appointment is for three years initially.
	Mrs Towers was previously a full time member of the Parole Board and had earlier followed a career in personnel management. She will take up her post on 7 February and her appointment is also for an initial three-year period.

Prisons: Performance Improvement

Baroness Serota: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How they plan to raise the performance of those prisons that are identified as performing to a poor standard.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Prison Service responds to recommendations for improvement made by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons in his inspections. In the last year, the Prison Service has enhanced its management of under-performing prisons. To strengthen this development, my right honourable friend the Home Secretary is announcing today the establishment of a working group on Targeted Performance Improvement. Its terms of reference are to develop proposals for enhancing management arrangements to:
	identify failing prisons;
	develop special measures to improve performance within such establishments, including effective partnerships with other criminal justice agencies and the private voluntary sectors; and
	develop a management tool to support the more rigorous line management of all establishments, including ways of recognising good performance and disseminating best practice with particular reference to the development of community partnerships in the locality of each.
	The working group is chaired by Lord Laming and its other members are Phil Wheatley, Deputy Director General; Roger Brook, former head of the Audit Commission; Patrick Carter, non-executive Director of the Prison Service; and Una Padel, of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has asked Lord Laming to report to him and the Director General by 1 May this year.

British Nationality Act 1981: Exercise of Discretion

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 10 January (WA 78), in what circumstances they have discriminated and they would seek to discriminate on the basis of national origins in the grant or refusal of British citizenship under the British Nationality Act 1981.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The grant of British citizenship under the British Nationality Act 1981 requires certain statutory requirements to be met and, in some cases, involves the exercise of discretion. Although some registration provisions statutorily exclude certain applicants on the basis of nationality (for example, British nationals alone have an entitlement to British citizenship if they meet certain residence requirements) an applicant's national origin is, for the most part, irrelevant when it comes to the exercise of discretion. Exceptions have been made in the past in relation to one or two groups of people in Hong Kong for reasons connected with the territory's special circumstances. Similar flexibility may be needed in the future.

Parental Leave Directive: Application

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they consider that the parents of children born before 15 December 1999 have directly effective rights under the European Community Parental Leave Directive; and, if not, why not.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: This Government consider that parents of children born before 15 December 1999 do not have directly effective rights under the EC Parental Leave Directive because the directive has been fully implemented.
	The Government accept that directly effective rights can arise where a directive has not been implemented and where the rights which it provides are sufficiently clear, precise and unconditional. However, we do not believe that either of these conditions is satisfied in respect of this directive.

Deep Mines

Lord Hardy of Wath: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many deep mines they expect to remain in operation in the United Kingdom in five years' time; and whether they expect to enter into discussions during the next year with the United Kingdom mining engineering industry with regard to its future prospects.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The size of the industry will depend on a number of economic factors, including the nature of the electricity generating market, the internationally traded price of coal and the ability of the industry itself to become more competitive.
	There are deep coal mines in the UK that have extensive reserves and low costs and I would expect deep mined UK coal to continue to play a significant role in the UK energy mix in five years' time.
	DTI Ministers meet representatives of the coal mining industry on a regular basis. Most recently my right honourable friend the Minister for Energy and Competitiveness in Europe met representatives of the UK Coal Producers Association on 26 January to discuss the prospects for the industry. During the course of January my right honourable friend also met a number of representatives of the coal industry, mining unions and the coalfield communities. She and officials will stay closely in touch with the industry.
	My right honourable friend the Minister for Trade met mining machinery representatives on 7 December to discuss the industry's future prospects. During 2000, DTI officials will continue to maintain regular contact with the sector and ensure that Ministers are kept informed of key issues. Ministers would also be willing to consider any specific requests for further discussions from the industry.

Gas Imports for Power Stations

Lord Hardy of Wath: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What proportion of gas used by gas fired power stations will need to be imported by the year 2010.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The proportion of imported gas used in power stations in the year 2010 will depend on a wide range of factors including the amount of gas used in power stations and the relative costs of developing new gas fields within the UK and abroad.
	Analysis carried out for our October 1998 White Paper1 suggested the UK was likely to become a net importer of gas some time between 2003 and 2009, that import requirements would be modest initially, but that by 2020, the UK might need to import between 55 per cent and 90 per cent of its gas requirements.
	The programme of electricity market reform announced in the White Paper is designed to remove distortions in the electricity market that encouraged excessive construction of new gas-fired power stations.
	1 (Conclusions of The Review of Energy Sources for Power Generation and Government response to fourth and fifth Reports of the Trade and Industry Committee, Cm 4071).

TransTec plc

The Earl of Courtown: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any Minister or official in the Department of Trade and Industry had been made aware of problems at TransTec plc before the decision was made to conclude the inquiry into Hollis plc in December 1999.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Department of Trade and Industry Ministers and officials became aware of problems at TransTec plc when suspension of its shares was announced on 24 December 1999.

North-West England: SME Funding by ERDF

Lord Inglewood: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they can explain the low level of participation by private sector small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in projects funded by the European Regional Development Fund in north-west England; whether the same trend is observable in other regions; and whether there are any specific plans to increase private sector SME participation.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: I am not aware that participation in European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) projects by SMEs in the North West of England compares unfavourably with other regions.
	The North West Action for Competitiveness plan, prepared in partnership with key public and private sector agencies across the region, was the basis for the use of the ERDF in Structural Funds programmes. These programmes were substantially fully committed, and aggregated outputs suggest that the expected level of SME support will be realised.
	New Structural Funds programmes for 2000-06 are now being prepared by regional partnerships and support for SMEs will be a priority.

Mirror Group Newspapers plc: Flotation Investigation

Lord Cuckney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When the Department of Trade and Industry report into the flotation of the Mirror Group Newspaper plc will be published.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The independent inspectors appointed to investigate the flotation of Mirror Group Newspapers are still carrying out their work. Consequently they have yet to report to my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

Mirror Group Newspapers plc: Flotation Investigation

Lord Cuckney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many witnesses have so far been called by the inspectors conducting the investigation into the flotation of Mirror Group Newspapers plc.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The inspectors appointed under Companies Act powers to investigate and report on the flotation of Mirror Group Newspapers are independent of DTI.

Mirror Group Newspapers plc: Flotation Investigation

Lord Cuckney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What costs the inspectors have so far incurred since they were appointed on 6 June 1992 to investigate and report on the flotation of Mirror Group Newspapers plc.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The cost of the inspection to date (excluding Value Added Tax) is £7,639,765.

Mirror Group Newspapers plc: Flotation Investigation

Lord Cuckney: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, in view of the time the preparation of the report is taking and the costs incurred by all parties, they will publish an interim report on the investigation into the affairs and membership of the Mirror Group Newspapers plc, with particular reference to the offers for sale of the company's shares in early 1991.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The inspectors have not completed their enquiries. No interim report has been prepared by them. It is important for the inspection to be completed as quickly as is possible and for a final report to be submitted. The preparation of an interim report could delay the preparation of a final report.

FCO Recruitment Advertisement

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the cost of a quarter page display advertisement placed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the Evening Standard on 13 January seeking to fill three posts for a messenger, a paperkeeper and a reprographics officer; and why the Foreign and Commonwealth Office chose this recruitment route.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The cost of the advertisement was £6,175.80. We were seeking to fill a number of vacancies in three areas of work (Messengers, Paperkeepers and Reprographics) and not just three individual posts. We also hope the advertisement will create a reserve list of suitable applicants to fill similar vacancies over the next 12 months.
	We chose this recruitment route as it has proved successful in the past in attracting a wide range of suitable applicants.

Cyprus: UN Proximity Talks

Lord Vivian: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What were the results of the recent "proximity" talks between the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Cyprus Government; and what further steps will now be taken.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: UN proximity talks began in New York on 3 December to prepare the ground for comprehensive negotiations on a settlement in Cyprus. The content of the discussions remain privy to the UN, but the Secretary General has confirmed that both parties engaged constructively on core settlement issues. The proximity talks will continue in Geneva on 31 January. We continue to give the UN Secretary General strong support in his efforts.

Glyphosate Residues in Soya Products

Baroness Lockwood: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they intend to publish results on glyphosate residues in soya products.

Baroness Hayman: Interim results on glyphosate residues, taken from the Government's ongoing monitoring programme for pesticides, are being pusblished today. A summary of the results from the first six months of a year-long survey of residues in soya products appears in MAFF's Food Safety Information Bulletin. The results show that none of the samples tested contained residues of glyphosate above the reporting level. Copies of the Food Safety Information Bulletin and a more detailed information paper have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Government Expenditure on Advertising

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What their budget for advertising is in the current financial year and how this compares with the last full year of the previous administration.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Advertising is used by departments when they judge it is the most cost effective way of delivering the publicity necessary to support a policy or proposal. The total amount spent on advertising in 1996-97 was £69 million. The sum total spent by departments and agencies on a wide range of advertising campaigns so far this year (from April to December 1999) is £67 million.
	These figures represent the advertising commissioned on behalf of departments and agencies by the Central Office of Information.

Labour Party and Centralised Government

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the statement of the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 13 December (H.L. Deb., col. 5) that the Labour Party has a strong centre, whether this policy development is consistent with the intention espoused in the Labour Party's General Election manifesto to deal with the fact that "Over-centralisation of government and lack of accountability was a problem in governments of both left and right"; and
	Further to the statement of the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 13 December (H.L. Deb., col. 5): ". . . as the Labour Party made clear before coming into office that it would have a strong centre, which it has", where in the party's general election manifesto reference to this policy development can be found.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: This Government are committed to delivering the programme of change set out in the Labour Party's general election manifesto. That commitment to delivery was itself set out clearly in the manifesto. Strengthening the centre of government to co-ordinate and oversee the delivery of policy is quite different from the Government's programme of devolution and local government reform in order to move away from "over-centralisation of government and lack of accountability".

Strategic Communications Unit

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the cost of running the Strategic Communications Unit for 1998-99; and what is its estimated cost for the current financial year.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The cost of running the Strategic Communications Unit for 1998-99 was £545,865 and the projected running costs for 1999-2000 are £737,866.

Strategic Communications Unit

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What procedures are in place to ensure that the Strategic Communications Unit distinguishes between legitimate activity on behalf of the Government and activity which could unduly advantage the party of Government.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The duties and responsibilities of civil servants, including special advisers, are set out in the Civil Service Code, in the Model Contract for Special Advisers and in the guidance on the work of the Government Information Service.
	Copies of these documents are available from the Library of the House.

GICS and Strategic Communications Unit: Output

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What measures they have in place to ensure that the output of (a) the Government Information and Communication Service and (b) the Strategic Communications Unit is factual in tone rather than propagandist.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Members of the GICS are permanent civil servants and are governed by the rules laid out in the Civil Service Code. In addition they work to the guidance on the work of the GIS. The guidance was reissued with the authority of the Prime Minister in July 1997. The Strategic Communication Unit is made up of six permanent Civil Servants and two special advisers, all of whom work to the Civil Service Code. In addition, the special advisers are governed by the model contract for special advisers.
	Copies of all the papers mentioned have been placed in the Library.